Italy II - Sardinia - My introduction to European topless bathing

Okay, Clare R and Myself eventually got to Alghero and after several abortive attempts to find accommodation we managed to score a choice place by the name of the Aloe B&B, named thus for its abundance of Aloe Vera plants. Alas we had to share a bed again, why is it that a male and female travelling together is instantly thought of as a couple. At least the bed was larger this time, and we got individual bathroom, sweet!

This was somewhat spoilt by two male Americans joining us on the second night. They were obviously a couple, and mischievously yelled at me across the balcony that adjoined our bedrooms, "hope your girlfriend doesn't mind naked men running around!" Oh how I wished Clare R was my girlfriend right there and then. I'm no homophobe, far from it, but I did feel it necessary to close the door lest their frivolity should wake Clare from her slumber



We had dinner in the old quarter of Alghero, with narrow streets and dimly light alley ways. This puppy was fed a diet of leftover dinners from our restaurant! Mmmm tasty seafood pasta!



The next day had in store a most beautiful location called Stintino Beach, which I have shown a previous picture of. It is complete with it's own sentinel nuraghe. We climbed the nearby hilltop which would have had some of beach goers wondering what crack those tourists were on.













Stintino was my first encounter with European topless bathing. These ladies don't hide behind sunglasses whilst lying face down on the beach all coy like us Aussies. They make eye contact with you and dare you to stare at them. Needless to say I didn't know where to look! Maybe it's my conservative Australian sensibilities that found me blushing under my tan. Thank goodness Clare R was with me or I would have felt even more like a dirty old pervert than I already am!

At least topless bathing isn't restricted to just the fine looking women on the beach, there were a lot of turn offs to be had if your gazed strayed in the wrong direction. I think European men need to stop wearing budgie smugglers, it's criminal.

Another stop near Alghero was Grotto di Neptune or Neptune's Cave. Set in limestone cliffs the caves were near the water's edge and had to be accessed by some 650 odd steps from the cliff top. Stunning scenery and clear Mediterranean water.





However we found at the bottom of the steps that, ferries also brought the less mobile to the caves... this included a boat load of smelly, noisy, elderly french tourists to join our guided cave tour.



I love caves, I love the photos you can take in them. However, when you have a bunch of grumbling french tourists shuffling along behind you with only a limited amount of time on the guided tour, there is only so much you can do with a camera with no tripod and only one flash! Still spectacular









Next stop - Calagrone